Ranunculus plant named &#39;ABPEGASO&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Ranunculus  plant named ‘ABPEGASO’ is disclosed, characterized by plants producing a large number of very large light pink flowers with a typical vase life of 20 to 25 days. Plants have a unique foliage carriage, with foliage occurring at the base of the plant. The new variety is a  Ranunculus , normally produced as a cut flower and potentially useful as an ornamental plant.

Latin name of the genus and species: Ranunculus asiaticus.

-   Variety denomination: ‘ABPEGASO’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new Ranunculus cultivar is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the inventor, Alberto Biancheri at a research nursery inCamporosso Mare, Italy. The cross resulting in this new variety was madeduring 2013.

The seed parent is the, unpatented, variety of Ranunculus ‘ABROCHI’. Thepollen parent is the unpatented, proprietary variety referred to asRanunculus ‘131-07/A’. The new variety was discovered in 2015 by theinventor in a group of seedlings resulting from the 2013 crossing, in aresearch greenhouse in Camporosso Mare, Italy.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first performed byvegetative division of buds sprouting from the rhizome of the selectedplant. Subsequent propagation has been performed by tissue culture.First propagation took place at a research greenhouse in CamporossoMare, Italy in 2015 and has shown that the unique features of thiscultivar are stable and reproduced true to type in multiple successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘ABPEGASO’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, day length, and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘ABPEGASO’ These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘ABPEGASO’ as a new and distinct Ranunculuscultivar:

1. Very large light pink flowers.

2. High quantity of flowers produced per plant.

3. Low foliage carriage, flowers occurring high above a low growingplant.

4. Long vase life.

5. Flower diameter of 12 to 14 cm.

PARENT COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘ABPEGASO’ are similar to plants of the seedparent, in most horticultural characteristics, however, plants of thenew cultivar ‘ABPEGASO’ differ in the following;

1. Flowers of the new variety are light pink, those of the seed parentare pale salmon.

2. Vegetative carriage of the new variety is lower than that of the seedparent.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘ABPEGASO’ are similar to plants of thepollen parent, in most horticultural characteristics, however, plants ofthe new cultivar ‘ABPEGASO’ differ in the following;

1. Flowers of the new variety are a different color than those of thepollen parent.

2. Flowers of the new variety are larger than flowers of the pollenparent.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘ABPEGASO’ are comparable to the commercialvariety Ranunculus ‘ABSIRLPIN’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 30,388. The twoRanunculus varieties are similar in most horticultural characteristics;however, the new variety ‘ABPEGASO’ differs in the following:

1. This comparator produces more foliage.

2. Flowers of the new variety are taller, 6 to 7 cm high, while flowersof this comparator are on average 3 to 4.5 cm high.

3. Flower color of the new variety is light pink, flower color of thiscomparator is more salmon colored.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photograph illustrates a close-up view of an individualflowers. The flowering plants of the new variety in the photograph areapproximately six months old, grown in a greenhouse during April inCamporosso, Italy. The photographs were taken using conventionaltechniques and although colors may appear different from actual colorsdue to light reflectance it is as accurate as possible by conventionalphotographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart 6^(th) edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The followingobservations and measurements describe 5-month-old ‘ABPEGASO’ plantsgrown in a greenhouse in Camporosso Mare, Italy. The plant has beendescribed in the month of February. In order to protect the crop againstpests, some chemical treatments are performed. Treatments with growthregulators can be performed to limit the plant sizes. In particular, nogrowth regulators have been applied on the plant described. The rhizomehas been planted on raised benches in a peat and pumice substratemixture. The growing temperature ranged from 12° C. to 26° C. during theday and from 0° C. to 6° C. during the night. General light conditionsare bright, normal sunlight. Measurements and numerical values representaverages of typical plant types.

-   Botanical classification: Ranunculus asiaticus ‘ABPEGASO’.-   Propagation:    -   -   Time to rooting.—15 days at approximately 10-12° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted plantlet.—20 days.        -   Root description.—Tuberous root.-   Plant:    -   -   Growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial, semi-prostrate            vegetation.        -   Height to top flower.—45 to 50 cm.        -   Leaf height.—30 to 35 cm.        -   Plant spread.—40 to 45 cm.        -   Growth rate.—Medium.        -   Branching characteristics.—Main floral stems grow from a            basal rosette with 1 or 2 lateral branches, each one of            which has one or more flowers.        -   Length of lateral branches.—40 to 45 cm.        -   Diameter of lateral branches.—7 to 10 mm.        -   Texture of lateral branches.—Slightly tomentose.        -   Internode length.—Internodes are extremely close together,            forming a basal rosette.        -   Strength of lateral branches.—Strong.        -   Color of lateral branches.—Near RHS Yellow-Green 145C.        -   Aspect/angle of branches.—20° to 30°.        -   Number of leaves per lateral branch.—Usually 2.-   Foliage: The plant has a marked heterophylly that means that in the    same plant the leaves may have different size and arrangement    (simple, ternate and biternate), in relation to the degree of    development (young leaf and mature leaf) and their position on the    plant (basal leaf—leaf at the base of the plant—and cauline    leaf—leaf inserted at the nodes of the floral stems). In other    words, there are significant variation in leaf shape on a same    plant.    -   -   Leaf at the base of the plant.—Arrangement: Simple (young            leaf); Ternate (mature leaf). Average Length: 20 to 22 cm.            Average Width: 10 to 15 cm. Overall Shape of blade: Obovate            (young leaf); Palmatipartite (mature leaf). Dissected            leaves, describe lobes, quantity of dissection: Young leaves            are generally not lobed or a little lobed; mature leaves are            generally divided in 3 parts, each one of which is further            divided in 3 or more lobes. Apex: Rounded. Base: Acute.            Attachment: Petiolate. Margin: Dentate. Texture of top            surface: Glabrous. Texture of bottom surface: Glabrous.            Appearance of top surface: Glossy. Appearance bottom            surface: Glossy. Leaf internode length: The internodes are            extremely close together, forming a basal rosette. Color:            Young foliage upper side: RHS Green 137A. Young foliage            under side: RHS Yellow-Green 146B. Mature foliage upper            side: RHS Green 137B. Mature foliage under side: RHS            Yellow-Green 146B. Venation: Type: Dichotomous; plunging            into the limb at the upper surface; raised on the limb at            the lower surface. Venation color upper side: RHS            Yellow-Green 146B. Venation color under side: RHS Green            137B. Petiole: Cross section: Round. Length: Average range            11 to 16 cm. Diameter: Average range 0.5 to 1.0 cm.            Pubescence: Slightly tomentose. Color: RHS Yellow-Green            145C.        -   Leaf inserted at the nodes of the floral stems.—Arrangement:            Biternate. Average Length: 20 to 25 cm. Average Width: 15 to            20 cm. Overall Shape of blade: Palmatipartite. Dissected            leaves, describe lobes, quantity of dissection: Generally            divided in 3 parts, each one of which is further divided in            many lobes. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Attachment:            Petiolate. Margin: Dentate. Texture of top surface:            Glabrous. Texture of bottom surface: Glabrous. Appearance of            top surface: Glossy. Appearance bottom surface: Glossy. Leaf            internode length: Average 10 to 15 cm. Color: Foliage upper            side: RHS Green RHS 137B. Foliage under side: RHS            Yellow-Green 146B. Venation: Type: Dichotomous, plunging            into the limb at the upper surface and raised on the limb at            the lower surface. Venation color upper side: RHS            Yellow-Green 146B. Venation color under side: RHS Green            137B. Petiole: Cross-section: Round. Length: Average 10 to            15 cm. Diameter: Average 0.5 to 1.0 cm. Pubescence: Slightly            tomentose. Color: RHS Yellow-Green 146B.-   Flower:    -   -   Quantity per plant.—10 to 12.        -   Bloom period.—Winter to Spring.        -   Vase life (cut flower).—20 to 25 days.        -   Persistent or self-cleaning.—Self-Cleaning.        -   Bud.—Closed bud: Shape: Flattened globular with a sharp            point. Length: Average 1.5 to 3.0 cm. Diameter: Average 1.0            to 2.5 cm. Color: RHS Yellow-Green 146B. Slightly open bud:            Shape: Flattened globular. Length: Average 2.5 to 3.5 cm.            Diameter: Average 2.0 to 2.5 cm. Color: RHS Yellow-Green            145C.        -   Flower.—Fully Open Diameter: Average 12 to 14 cm. Fully Open            Height: Average 6 to 7 cm.        -   Corolla.—Round, regular, in cross-section.        -   Petals.—Arrangement: Imbricated, disposed on the receptacle            in very tight verticils. The size of the petals is quite            variable, according to the position in the corolla,            decreasing from the exterior toward the center. Average            size: Lobe Length: Average 6.0 to 6.5 cm. Lobe Width:            Average 5.5 to 6.0 cm. Quantity: Double flower, petals are            very numerous (>100). Texture: Silky, resistant. Lobe Apex:            Rounded. Lobe shape: Obovate. Margin: Finely Crenate or            entire. Aspect: Concave. Slightly reflexed back when fully            open. Color when opening: Upper surface: Near RHS Red 49D.            Lower surface: Near RHS Red 49D. Color Fully opened. Upper            surface: Near RHS Red-Purple 65C. Lower surface: Near RHS            Red-Purple 65C.        -   Calyx/sepals.—Quantity per flower: 4 or 5. Shape: Rounded            deltate. Length: Average 2.0 to 4.0 cm. Width: Average 0.5            to 1.0 cm. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire.            Texture: Lower surface: Glabrous. Upper surface: Glabrous.            Color: Upper Surface: RHS Yellow-Green 146B. Lower Surface:            RHS Green 138B        -   Peduncle.—None.        -   Pedicel.—Length: Average range 38 to 46 cm. Diameter:            Average range 1.0 to 1.5 cm. Color: RHS Yellow-Green 144A.            Orientation: Upright. Pubescence: Slightly tomentose.        -   Fragrance.—None.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Androecium.—Absent.        -   Gynoecium.—The pistils are numerous, short, locked together            at the center of the corolla, dome-shaped apocarpous            gynoecium. Pistil color: Near RHS Yellow-Green 144A. Nectar            glands: Absent.-   Other characteristics:    -   -   Disease resistance.—Not observed.        -   Drought tolerance and cold tolerance.—No differences have            been noted in comparison to the common tolerance            characteristics to other Ranunculus cultivars.        -   Fruit/seed production.—Not observed.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Ranunculus named‘ABPEGASO’ as herein illustrated and described.